


Saving Monsters

by poetically_ordinary



Category: Captain America - All Media Types, Iron Man - All Media Types, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: B.A.R.F. (Binary Augmented Retro Framing), BAMF Bucky Barnes, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, Healing, M/M, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Tony Stark Feels, Tony Stark Has A Heart, dual personalities
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-29
Updated: 2016-12-02
Packaged: 2018-09-02 01:49:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8647192
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/poetically_ordinary/pseuds/poetically_ordinary
Summary: When Tony agrees to help Bucky with B.A.R.F. there's no way he could have imagined that it would all have turned out like this.





	1. Chapter 1

There’s a knock at the door.

“Come in.” Steve pushes the door open slightly in order to see a grand office with T’Challa sitting at the desk. “Please take a seat Mr. Rogers.” T’Challa motions to the chair on the other side and Steve does as he’s asked. “I’m sure you’re wondering why I called for you?”

“It crossed my mind.” Steve says, trying for levity. It must not work as well as he hopes because T’Challa doesn’t smile or show any outward signs of amusement.

“This is about your friend James Barnes.” Immediately Steve sits up straighter in the chair.

“Did something happen? Is something wrong?” T’Challa shakes his head and motions for Steve to calm himself.

“Nothing has happened Mr. Rogers, and unfortunately I’m here to tell you that nothing will.” He must see the confused look that Steve gets on his face because he continues. “Mr. Barnes went into Cryo hoping that we would be able to undo the chaos that has become his mind under Hydra.” Steve nods and T’Challa continues. “Unfortunately, as previously mentioned, we are unable to assist your friend in the way that he needs to be treated. Spoken quite frankly, we do not have the technology required to assist him.”

“I thought that Wakanda was the most technologically advanced country in the world?” Steve asks and T’Challa nods.

“Yes, we are. That does not mean however that we possess the best of every form of technology in the world. If it had been nanites or some other kind of computerized attack on your friend then we would have been able to assist him. However, this is not the case. It has been strongly recommended that he undergo psychological treatment, but his triggers are far too dangerous to allow him out and about.”

Steve leans back in his chair, despair starting to claw at his insides. “So…you can’t help Bucky?”

“No Mr. Rogers, we cannot assist your friend.”

“So there’s nothing that can be done for him?” T’Challa tilts his head slowly.

“I did not say that.” It causes Steve to sit up immediately, seeing a third option. He’ll take it of course, anything. Anything and everything to help Bucky. T’Challa should know that by now, after all Steve took on the world for Bucky. He’ll do it again if he needs. “There is a piece of technology that is projected to be able to assist Mr. Barnes with his…unique situation.”

“What is it?”

“Binary Augmented Retro Framing.” The words sound slightly familiar to Steve, like he’s heard them somewhere before.

“What is that?”

“It’s a device that manages to connect seamlessly with the hippocampus and help the user redefine, experience and deal with traumatic memories.”

“Okay…how do I get it?”

“There’s where it becomes complicated. Even more so in your case.” Steve frowns.

“Why?”

“B.A.R.F.” Steve makes a face. “Horrible acronym I know, is not available at this time. It has only been made into one prototype. At this time the company producing it does not know if or when it will go into mass production.” T’Challa shuffles some papers on his desk. “There has been the offer for those suffering from debilitating PTSD to send in their files and see if they might be allowed to use B.A.R.F. to assist them.”

“But Bucky is a wanted man…they’ll never help him, they’ll just lock him up.”

“It’s possible. It’s also possible that the information gleaned from the B.A.R.F. process might be just the thing to clear Mr. Barnes’s name. Not to mention how it might just free your friend of the Winter Soldier Programming.” Steve pauses to think about it.

“You said even more so in my case…what did you mean by that?” T’Challa inclines his head.

“B.A.R.F. is owned and created by Anthony Stark. He is the one with sole authority and power to approve the use of the machine on anyone else.” Steve immediately feels cold. Like he’s back in Siberia, looking down at horrified brown eyes.

“…He’ll never say yes.” Comes out in a tortured whisper. “Tony will never help us.”

“Perhaps not. At the same time perhaps he will. There is no true way to know the outcome of something unless one tries. However, with Mr. Barnes in Cryo all of these decisions about his care fall to you as per his request.”

“You don’t understand…Bucky…Tony won’t help us.”

“If that is your final word on the subject, I guess that we have nothing further to speak about. I just wanted to let you know what was happening with your friends care.”

~+~

It takes three days of pacing and looking at Bucky in that ice coffin before Steve presses in the number for the burner phone that he sent Tony. It rings and rings, the non-descript voicemail picking up.

“Um… Hi Tony…I guess I just wanted to talk to you. I know that we’re not at a good place right now, but I was hoping that I might discuss something with you. B.A.R.F. or something like that? Could…could you call me back?”

He sits next to that phone for double the amount of days.

It never rings.

T’Challa does call him on the seventh day back into his office. Steve takes a seat again as T’Challa opens a file on his desk.

“Mr. Stark has requested Mr. Barnes’s medical file for review.” Steve sits up straighter in his chair, excitement racing through his veins.

“He contacted you? He agreed to let you have it?” T’Challa shakes his head.

“Mr. Stark is the only being on the planet who knows how to use B.A.R.F. to its full potential. Having used it on himself he is specially qualified to assist others who use it as well. Mr. Stark would not be coming here to do the procedure. Mr. Barnes would be sent to him.” And just like that, all of the elation is gone.

“No.” Comes out, tight and quiet from between his lips. “Tony will kill Bucky.”

“There was a chance that he could do that if he wished with handing the machine over to us. We would have no way of knowing if it was working correctly and he could claim that we misused it, and it lead to Mr. Barnes’s death.” Steve hadn’t even thought of it that way and he barely manages not to fall back into his seat like a puppet with its strings cut.

“So there’s no way to protect Bucky from Tony if we let Tony do this?”

“Not in so few words.” T’Challa answers. “If I may though, Mr. Stark did not kill either of you when he had a clear chance in Siberia. I think that should be taken into consideration when dealing with this.”

“What do you mean? Of course he tried to kill us. He just…snapped.” Steve shakes a little as he remembers the armor coming after him and T’Challa gives him a look that could be described as amused.

“Do you honestly believe that Mr. Rogers? Do you honestly believe that the Iron Man armor, an engineering feat that took on Asgardians and has enough power in it to level whole armies on its own could not take on two enhanced beings? If Mr. Stark had wanted you dead, I have every belief that I would not be sitting here with you today. It is very clear that Mr. Stark held back during your fight. As he did at the airport in Germany.”

Steve shakes his head. No, that isn’t right. It can’t be right, because if Tony was still holding back…then what was Steve doing? Because he wasn’t. He was giving it his all and it never once occurred to him that if the brunet had wanted them dead that they would have been immediately. “I of course cannot make the decision for you. But I would advise that you at least send the files over to Mr. Stark to review. At the very least it might offer some closure with his own past regarding Mr. Barnes.” Steve feels like there’s an underlying statement there. ‘Offer closure regarding Bucky that you didn’t give him before’.

Steve weighs the consequences for a moment, a heavy feeling in his chest as he nods once to T’Challa. “Very well.” The King says. “I’ll send them over right away. I’ll inform you of his response.

Steve walks back to the room feeling in a daze. He picks up the phone again and hits the dial button. Tony’s burner phone number is the first speed dial and it goes to voicemail again. Steve almost didn’t expect it to, and it takes a moment before he speaks.

“Thank you Tony…for agreeing to look at it. I’m…I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you. I should have.” He pauses for a moment. “Thank you.”

He wakes up the next morning with a text message.

> I didn’t do it for you.

It feels like any hope that had started to build in his chest when it came to repairing bridges with Tony crumbles at those words.

~+~

“Mr. Stark has sent his response.” Steve sits up straighter.

“And?”

“He has agreed that B.A.R.F. might be Mr. Barnes’s only chance at removing the Hydra programing. As such, he has agreed to allow Mr. Barnes to return to the Compound in New York to begin the process.”

“He isn’t going to come here?”

“Why would you think he would? Mr. Stark is still responsible for the R&D Department of Stark Industries as well as the new leader for the Avengers. He would be unable to live in, or commute repeatedly to Wakanda.”

“So we’re just going to send Bucky to him? What about Ross and the Accords? They’ll lock him up.” T’Challa doesn’t answer him, instead pulling out a couple pieces of paper that have been stapled together and sliding them across the desk to him. “What’s this?”

“This is the legal order that requires Mr. Barnes complete a full regimen with B.A.R.F., allowing the information to be released to the authorities to determine the extent of Mr. Barnes’s culpability in the crimes of the assassin known as the Winter Soldier. It requires that Mr. Barnes remain in the Avengers Compound until a final verdict is reached. Mr. Stark already had his lawyers draw it up and go to court over it. The judge filed in his favor with all of the evidence in Barnes’s defense that he was able to provide from the released SHIELD files. Mr. Barnes is more of a free man in the United States Captain than the rest of your team, or you are, at this moment.”

“Tony…went to court in Bucky’s defense?”

“And won Mr. Rogers. He went in and won.” T’Challa takes a moment. “There will of course be some paperwork that we will have to wake Mr. Barnes up for in order to sign.”

“What? Why?”

“Because while Mr. Stark might know that you are all here, the rest of the world does not. He is framing everything to look more like he is reaching out for Mr. Barnes to come to him for this opportunity, and not that we reached out to him.”

“Why would he do that?”

“Because he is protecting Wakanda Mr. Rogers. If it were to get out that I allowed for international criminals to have amnesty within our borders…things could get very rough for Wakanda very quickly. Mr. Stark seems to realize this as well and has taken steps to ensure that those who would look closer at this whole thing would not be able to trace the thread back here.”

“Oh.” Is all Steve says. All he can say, what more can he offer? T’Challa took on a heavy burden taking them all in. The others, and Steve included up until a few weeks ago, thought that they were well hidden. That no one knew where they were. It never occurred to Steve that Tony would find out, but also keep the secret. Protecting them all from afar.

Just like he always used to.

Steve lets his head fall into his hands.

“Mr. Rogers?” T’Challa asks and Steve quickly straightens up.

“I’m sorry. Just a thought. When will we be waking up Bucky?”

“I was thinking tomorrow would be as good a time as any. Bright and early when everyone returns to work.”

“Can I be there?”

“I insist.”

Steve’s barely left the King’s office before he pulls out the phone and holds down the speed dial again. He’s less surprised by the voicemail.

“Thank you Tony…Thank you for everything. I don’t think…no, I know that we never said it before. Thank you for everything you always did to help us. I’m sorry that we didn’t realize everything you gave back when we were still all together.” Steve pauses and feels his voice choke up. “You deserved better than us.” He hangs up the phone and just lets the gravity of the words wash over him. He means every single one of them.

God. How did they ever let it get this far? How did Tony end up being their enemy? It takes Steve a minute to realize a simple truth.

Tony isn’t their enemy. Even in this aftermath of their stupidity, even after Tony lost so much…he’s still looking out for them.

But they’re Tony’s enemies. Constantly pulling and tearing at the brunet for every imagined or perceived infraction. Constantly demanding that he be contrite just for existing most days.

Steve looks in the mirror that night, and wonders if the man looking back at him is the man that Erskine envisioned.

The ‘no’ that his mind supplies keeps him up all night long.

~+~

The lab is almost like a beehive. Wakandan scientists and doctors are rushing back and forth, preparing for Bucky to transition out of his cold coffin. Steve is standing there, feeling out of place and unnecessary. It’s been a long time since he felt that way. Not since he woke up from the ice himself and started working with the Avengers.

Bucky wakes up in stages. Steve is told that’s completely normal as they give Bucky sedatives to prevent violent outbursts from the Soldier. It keeps him strangely docile and Steve isn’t sure how to handle it.

Somewhere in his mind he knows that they have to do this for the safety of the other scientists. Somewhere else in his mind he rages at the thought of Bucky being treated like a dangerous sociopath.

The Wakandan doctor explains everything to them once they believe that Bucky is lucid enough to understand what is going on. The doctor keeps looking at Steve, explaining the harder to understand parts and Steve finds himself rephrasing it for Bucky. Bucky doesn’t say anything about it, but it does seem kind of funny to Steve later when he realizes that Bucky has been mostly off and on throughout these last seventy years while Steve has just been sleeping. Bucky probably has a better understanding of what the doctors are talking about than Steve does.

That’s probably why Bucky signs the papers without conversing with Steve.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Steve asks and Bucky nods.

“It’s my only chance Stevie. My only chance to be…me again. Only me.” Bucky shakes his head. “Or at least a version of me that people can’t just wind up with a few simple words.”

“But Tony-”

“I killed his parents. If he wants revenge, I think he’s damned well entitled to it.”

“Don’t say that.”

“I don’t think that this is some big ploy to get me in some dastardly trap Steve…to be honest, that’s almost worse I think.”

“What? Why do you say that?”

“Because I destroyed his life, I took his parents away. And instead of damning me to hell, he’s holding out his hand in an offer to help.” Bucky shakes his head. “I don’t know what kind of man that makes Tony Stark, but I know it makes him better than any man I’ve met before.” Steve wants to say that isn’t true.

But Steve realizes that he can’t think of anyone who would fit that description either.

Steve sure as hell wouldn’t.

Steve stands in the background, awkwardly as Bucky is walked through his pathway to meeting up with the Stark Jet and heading to the Avengers Compound. Steve wants to say that the determination in those eyes is all Bucky Barnes, but Steve knows he’d be lying to himself.

“Be careful okay?” Steve asks and Bucky gets a small grin.

“Shouldn’t I be saying that to you punk?” Steve matches Bucky’s grin and pulls him into a hug. The pat back he gets is stiff and awkward, but Steve pretends it isn’t.

“Good luck.” Bucky wave’s goodbye with his one good arm and gets aboard the non-descript vehicle that is going to take him past the border. This could be the last time that Steve sees Bucky for a while. He waves to the other man with a smile that feels forced.

“Please take care of him.” He begs the voicemail later.

He doesn’t receive an answer.

He wasn’t really expecting one.


	2. Chapter 2

  
 

The lights flick on with a hollow echo. The resulting illumination washes over the empty space, and over the lifeless surroundings. The hole that once housed the Vision sits barely ten feet away, a painful reminder of what transpired here. Tony shoves his hands in his pockets as he takes his first steps into the living area of the Compound. He hasn't been in here since that day.

_“FRIDAY? Where is he?” Tony asks as he finally makes it back to the Compound. His body aches from where he has pressed the suit to its limits to get here as quick as physically possible the moment FRIDAY sent the SOS signal for the Vision._

_‘In the kitchen Boss.’ Tony rushes into the area and his eyes land on the crater instantly. This is where Vision is? This is what Hawkeye and the Scarlet Witch have done to him?_

_“Has he shown any responses yet?”_

_‘No Boss. Nothing.’_

_“Vision? Vision can you hear me?” There’s no reply from the hole and Tony’s heart seizes. He can’t lose Vision- not like this. Not after he’s already lost JARVIS once. “What are the dimensions? How far down is he?”_

_‘The suit doesn’t have clearance.’ The words have barely been relayed to him before he’s sending the signal to the suit, and it peels away from his body. ‘Boss, this is ill-advised.’_

_“Noted.” Tony says as he comes over to the edge, looking down into the darkness. The sharp edges of the broken debris cuts into his hands, but he presses on. It’s a tight fit and he almost slips a few times before he sees the Vision at the bottom. “FRIDAY! Get a rope!” He yells up as he crawls down the last few feet. “I’ve got you buddy, you’re going to be okay…please be okay.”_

Vision pretends that it didn’t bother him, and who knows, maybe it doesn’t. Tony saw the way he held the Scarlet Witch close on the tarmac in Germany. Maybe he really didn’t feel that something unacceptable had occurred, and who was Tony to tell him any differently? Not that it would matter these days anyways, the Vision is gone. He’ll undoubtedly make his way to Wakanda, if he’s not already there. He wants his family after all, and the man who stands alone in the echoes of the building that once was their home is many things, but anyone’s family he’s not.

He tried to be.

He wanted desperately to be.

But now it’s too late for that, the chips have fallen and Tony has no more cards to play.

Tony turns and walks out of the room, Barnes can have full access if he wants, but Tony doesn’t think he’ll ever go back in there. He heads down familiar hallways, they’re empty now, and comes to Steve’s old door. He remembers how he used to come here at all times of the day. He remembers the conversations that the blonde and him had - conversations that he realizes now were nothing more than lies and misdirection. He used to think this was the room of a friend, now he knows the only thing that ever stayed within these walls was a traitor.

The room is exactly as Steve left it that day, save for one thing. The shield rests on Steve’s bed, the scratches still in the metal and flecks of dried blood mar the surface. Tony comes over and pulls the small phone, and the letter out of his jacket pocket. He has no use for them anymore, and he places them both down in front of the shield. Steve might have meant well by sending them, he might have even meant well when he started using them and when he kept leaving messages- asking Tony to help him _again_.

But Tony can’t take the sick taste that Steve leaves in his mouth anymore, and Tony can’t keep doing this to himself. If the Avengers want to cut their ties with him, if they want to be irresponsible children- then Tony wants nothing more to do with them either.

He’s finally done chasing, and he knows that they won’t chase him.

So he figures that it’s the end of an era.

The end of the Avengers.

 _‘Boss.’_ FRIDAY’s voice is soft as he interrupts his internal declarations.

“Is he here?”

_‘He just got out. He’s at the front door.’_

“Let him in.” Tony takes a final breath and lets it out, turning around and leaving the room. He closes the door softly behind him. He doesn’t look back, not even once as he goes down to meet a face that quite frankly he could have done without seeing again.

James Buchanan Barnes looks like shit. His hair is unwashed and unkempt, and his clothes look like he bought them at a salvation army for someone twice his size. The baseball cap is a nice touch, it almost makes Tony want to smile.

Almost.

“Hello again.” Blue eyes look up to him as he comes down the stairs and Tony wonders for a brief second if he should have come up with something better to say. Perhaps something a little less ‘supervillain’ sounding and more – ‘I totally don’t want to kill you anymore, you can trust me with your brain _I promise_.’

“Stark.” Barnes shifts his weight a little and Tony knows that he’s prepping for the potential lash out that he must assume the billionaire is going to do.

“Barnes.” Tony replies, he tries to put in some of the snark that’s his legacy into the word, but he has no energy for anything other than tired. Tony wonders if it shows. “I have a room set up for you. FRIDAY will be monitoring you while you’re here, say ‘hi’ FRI.”

 _‘Hello Mr. Barnes.’_ Barnes’s eyes look around casually, but Tony can tell that he’s trying to find the location of the woman talking.

“She’s the AI. She’s wound throughout the entire Compound. If you need anything, just say her name and start speaking. She’ll hear you. Understand?” Tony waits for him to nod. “Alright, second thing- you’re not permitted off of the premises during your time under B.A.R.F. is that clear?”

“The King explained it.”

“Well I’m going to re-explain it.” _Since you old timers only ever seem to hear what you want to hear_ Tony thinks as he presses on. “There’s a copy of the court ruling in your room. You’ll be expected to read it and sign it. You won’t be called out before the B.A.R.F. treatment is done, so don’t worry about that.” Barnes nods and Tony motions with his head to have him follow him.

He doesn’t wait to see if Barnes does, and the thought of the man behind him puts every hair on edge, but Tony presses on anyways. If he can put up with people like Justin Hammer and Secretary Ross behind him and not show weakness, then he can do it with a one armed veteran. “You have free reign of most of the Compound. The Lab won’t allow you in except for sessions. If you need to contact me and I’m not around, ask FRIDAY.”

“I’m going to be here by myself?” There’s a tone of disbelief in the question and Tony turns to look at him.

“No, I’m going to be here too. The fine print of the ruling puts me as your guardian until the time that B.A.R.F. works its magic and you’re considered ‘cured’.”

“And what does that look like?” Tony watches Barnes’s fingers tighten on the duffle bag strap that’s slung over his shoulder.

“Whatever you want it to look like.” Tony answers. “There will be the simple things, we’re going to need to be sure that people don’t start spouting Russian and having you turn into a life-size Terminator doll. We’re going to need to be able to prove that your triggers and symptoms have shown vast improvement, but at the end of the day? You’re the one who decides when you’re finished.” Tony does a little shrug. “There will be a therapist involved in the later stages, since the Army has stepped in and agreed to label you a prisoner of war. You’ll need to speak with them about what all of that entails. I know there’s money involved, you’ll want that to get on your feet when you leave here.”

Tony turns back around and continues down to the room he assigned to Barnes. He pushes open the door. “Here’s where you’ll be crashing. There’s a gym for you right through that door. It’s got punching bags that should be able to handle your strength. If for some reason they can’t, let FRIDAY know and I’ll have some new ones whipped up.” He watches as Barnes steps into the room, looking around uncertainly before dropping his bag on the bed. “Kitchen is down the hall to the left, try to avoid falling in the hole and I’ll leave you to your own devices. We start first thing in the morning.”

Tony goes to leave, getting ready to give Barnes a moment to settle in. “Thank you Stark.” Tony doesn’t turn to look at him, but he shakes his head.

“Don’t thank me Barnes. I haven’t done anything special.” He closes the door behind him with a firm click.

~+~

Bucky watches as Stark leaves the room. He’s not surprised that the brunet wanted to get away from him as soon as possible, but he is surprised at the lack of security surrounding him. He half expected to show up and have four or five guards on him constantly, armed to the teeth, ready to take out the Soldier at the slightest twitch.

He goes over to the desk in the room, and sure enough the court papers are on it. He thumbs through it, and finds it pretty on par with what the King was telling him before they sent him out here: Stark has taken full responsibility for Bucky Barnes, with the intent to help him with the Stark Tech created ‘Binary Augmented Retro Framing’ device.

Bucky signs where the little bright stickers point to and places the papers back down. He takes a moment to go about the room. It’s spacious, well decorated and the adjoining bathrooms shower looks like a contraption that’s far too complicated for something as simple as washing off.

He figures the door would be locked when he goes for it. Half of the doors at the King’s palace were locked before he went back into slumber and when it wasn’t, there was always a woman or two watching him from the darkness wherever he went. It’s a little unsettling when there’s nothing like that here as the door opens without pause.

“FRIDAY?”

_‘Yes Mr. Barnes?’_

“Where is the security?” There’s a moment before the AI answers him.

_‘It was determined that having security personnel could potentially trigger the Winter Soldier into thinking that an attack was eminent. As such, Boss decided that he would be the only other one in the Compound with you at any given time for the first few stages.’_

“Wait, he’s going to be doing the B.A.R.F. thing without anyone else here?” It sounds crazy even when Bucky says it aloud.

_‘Boss wanted to minimize the chances of an incident.’_

“What about him? Who’s going to step in and protect him if there’s an ‘incident’?”

 _‘I am currently in control of the Iron Man Armor. I will make the necessary choices in regards to the safety of my creator.’_ The AI’s voice is strangely threatening without actually issuing a threat. The answer it gives however, doesn’t comfort him in the slightest. What the hell is Stark thinking? _‘Would you like a tour Mr. Barnes?’_

“Am I allowed?”

 _‘Boss has mentioned that you have free reign of the upper levels. I can help you become acquainted with them if you’d like.’_ It takes Bucky less than a second to nod. He wants a layout of the building, or at least as much of it as possible.

Old habits die hard it seems.

~+~

Tony knows that he has to get back up and do something. The pain meds haven’t fully kicked in yet, and he’s just delaying dealing with all of the shit that he has to deal with today. DUM-E rolls over with a smoothie in its claw, tilting slightly sideways in askance and almost spilling some of the liquid out of the cup.

It brings a small smile to Tony’s lips.

At least his kids are looking out for him. Even if no one else is.

Tony takes it with a smile and pats the bot on it’s joint. It seems to make DUM-E’s day as the bot goes rolling off, ecstatic to be helpful. Tony watches it go and figures he’ll only step in if it goes for the fire extinguisher.

He never should have given that much power to the idiot. Now he thinks everything needs a good dosing with fire suppression if it’s so much as acting out or just doing something the bot doesn’t like.

He wonders how DUM-E is going to react to Barnes down in the lab.

…Perhaps he should move all fire extinguishers out into a safe location before they attempt that.

“FRI? What’s he doing?” He figures he should check in on the guy, after all it’s not like Tony really has any ill will left over for Barnes. He gets it, Hydra are assholes. That’s literally all that Steve needed to tell him before this whole thing.

‘Hey Tony, guess what I just found out. Hydra are assholes and they might have used my best friend to kill your mom.’

No, instead Steve decides that he can withhold information, keep secrets from Tony and yet have the gall to act superior with Tony’s supposed ‘secrets’.

 _‘Mr. Barnes is currently in the gym Boss.’_ Tony’s not really surprised at the answer. Well, at least the punching bags that he had specially ordered for Steve won’t go to waste now.

“Let me know if he needs anything.”

 _‘Will do Boss.’_ There’s a pause before the AI speaks again. _‘There’s been another one.’_ Tony sighs and rubs a hand over his face. He was kind of hoping that returning to the Compound with the fucking Winter Soldier might get this guy off his ass. Apparently that was not the case.

“Great. Where is it?”

_‘It was just delivered, along with the other items that you were waiting for.’_

“I’m on my way.” Tony pushed himself up, grimacing at the pain before putting on the blank mask and entering the elevator. “FRI, see if you can track where this one came from.”

_‘Already on it Boss.’_

Tony knows she won’t find anything, and he’s sure she knows it too. This guy’s been slippery and good. Tony doubts that he’d make a rookie mistake at this point.

Tony stares at the small collection of packages, and the letters that sit innocently on top of them. He knows which one he’s looking for, he always knows it when he sees it.

The letter looks the same as all the others.

Basic type font, with nothing looking out of the ordinary. It’s the corner that always mocks him though, the stamp that isn’t marked with any mailroom marks. The stamp which looks so familiar each time.

 _‘Boss?’_ FRIDAY inquires and Tony makes a sound of acknowledgement. _‘Perhaps it might be time to inform the proper authorities? Or Miss. Potts?’_ Tony shakes his head.

“What good would that do? They’re not going to be able to do much, and I’d rather not raise any alarms over something so trivial.”

 _‘Your safety does not seem like a ‘trivial’ thing to me.’_ There’s an under layer to the AI’s reprimand and Tony sends up a fond look.

“It’s nothing FRI. It’s not the first time someone has done crap like this. Trust me.”

 _‘I still think that someone should be notified. Maybe Colonel Rhodes?’_ Tony immediately shakes his head.

“No.”

_‘But Boss-’_

“I said no FRI. Rhodey has enough to worry about right now. I’m not going to cause him unnecessary stress. He needs to focus on his physical therapy. I don’t want anything interfering with that.” It’s clear that the AI doesn’t agree with him, but she doesn’t say anything else on the subject.

Tony pulls out the letter opener right next to the drop off and slices the top open, pulling out the letter and letting his eyes scan over it. He can’t help the eye roll that he gives upon reading it and folds it back up, putting it back in the envelope.

 _‘Boss? Alert.’_ FRIDAY’s warning has Tony’s shoulders going back. _‘Secretary Ross has just pulled past the gate.’_

“Son of a-” Tony shakes his head. “Damn it. FRI, alert Barnes that he needs to stay away from the main area. If Ross tries to find him or anything, keep him away from him do you hear me?”

 _‘On it.’_ Tony shoves the letter in his pocket as he turns and makes his way to the main entrance. He’s barely down the stairs when Ross throws open the doors and storms in.

”Secretary Ross, I wasn’t expecting you. Did you make an appointment?” He keeps his tone jovial and unconcerned. Ross clearly doesn’t buy it.

“What do you think you’re doing Stark?” He growls and Tony tilts his head.

“Um…right now? I seem to be dealing with an unannounced house guest.”

“Listen to me Stark, that thing that you’re playing with is dangerous. It’s-”

Tony holds up his uninjured hand. “Let me stop you right there Thaddeus. That ‘thing’ is a human being. I know you have trouble understanding the concept of basic human rights and all that such nonsense, but you will not refer to another man as a ‘thing’ in my house. Am I clear?”

Ross just gets an annoyed twitch and motions a hand to the group of ten military men who have entered with him, hands on their automatic weapons. “You’re going to hand ‘him’ over to me now.”

“Yeah…sorry, no can do.”

“This isn’t a joke Stark.”

“Do I look like I’m laughing?” Tony says, his lack of patience with Ross leaking through his tone a little.

“Barnes is military personnel, and as such is under my jurisdiction.” Ross says with a smirk and Tony shakes his head.

“Actually, no he isn’t. First, he’s discharged. That whole- he enlisted seventy years ago, doesn’t really give you a ‘claim’. Second, he’s already signed everything needed to make him a current test subject of B.A.R.F., court approved.” Ross’s face gets dark. “I know, you tried to stop me from getting that, and I know you hate that whole ‘due process’, ‘right to a trial’ and all of that. But that doesn’t change the fact that James Barnes has been cleared of his involvement in the crimes of the Winter Soldier. Extenuating circumstances and all of that. Plus, and this is my favorite part-” Tony gets a little grin. “When Barnes signed the papers allowing himself to be treated, he signed an agreement with the Accords Council. A consideration if you will, that he will assist the Avengers when he gets a clean bill of health for any massive major, world ending catastrophes as an additional fill member to the Avengers lineup. Do you know what that makes him?” Ross takes a step towards him, but Tony doesn’t budge an inch. “That makes him under the jurisdiction of the U.N. Accords Council. Which means this posturing bullshit that you’re attempting to do right now is just that. Bullshit.”

“I’m warning you Stark.”

“Oh, is that what you’re doing here?”

“That thing is a monster. It’s a mindless weapon. You know that, I know you do.”

“And if I knew this, so to speak, why would you _ever_ think that I would hand him over to you?”

“I know how to contain ‘him’. You know he’s going to snap Stark. You know he’s dangerous. I know what he did to Howard and Maria.” The words feel like sandpaper and Ross gets a sorrowful look on his face. “That’s what he’ll do to you. Let me take him.”

“Go to hell Ross. And I mean that in the most respectful way possible.” Ross’s mock ‘friendly’ face drops.

“You know I can make your life complicated Stark.”

“Oh, are we finally at the threats? How exciting. You do realize, you’re being recorded right? Please continue on this path. I’d love to post it online. I wonder if it would trend?”

“That’s not a threat Stark.”

“Of course not. We’re much too civilized for _that_.” Sarcasm is dripping from every word. “You need to leave Ross. If you step into the Compound again without Accord’s clearance for Accord’s business I will report it. And with your latest snafu that the Council has already put you on disciplinary review for, how do you think that will play out?”

“This isn’t over Stark.”

“Oh, I’m more than aware of that.”

“I’ll be speaking to the Accords Council. We’ll see what they say when I show them all of the things that you kept out of the original trial.”

“Feel free.” Tony’s flippant response clearly isn’t what Ross is expecting, and he growls before turning around and leaving the area. The goons dressed in black march after him and Tony waits till the cars start pulling away before he lets out a shaky breath and rubs his chest. “Damn it.” He had hoped that Ross might not push his luck so soon after the disciplinary hearing. Shows what he gets for being naïvely optimistic. “FRIDAY, contact Everett. Let him know what’s happening over here, see if we can get something that’ll keep Ross off our asses.”

_‘Will do.’_

“Where’s Barnes?” He asks as he turns around.

“Right here.” Tony can’t even hope to pretend that he didn’t just have a heart attack at the casual response from out of the shadows.

“What the fucking hell.” He snaps, trying to calm his rapidly beating heart. “Don’t _do_ that. Do I need to put a bell on you or something? Jesus Christ.” Barnes at least has the decency to look contrite for scaring the hell out of him. “What are you doing here? I thought I told you to keep away?”

“Steve told me about Ross.” Is Barnes’s response, as if that answers everything. News flash- it doesn’t.

“And if he told you about him, then why the hell did you come down here? You should have been at the opposite end of the Compound.”

“I don’t run from fights Stark.”

“No- yes you do. You run from them right now. You run from them like your life depends on it because it _does_. Do you realize what would have happened if Ross had tried to claim that you triggered and attacked him? He would have had his goons arrest you, and then he would have had you locked away in some top secret lab while claiming that you broke out and no one would know where you were.” Barnes frowns a little, clearly thinking over it before he nods.

“I’ll be careful.” The answer tells Tony everything he needs to know and it makes his stress levels rise. Steve used to do that too, that ‘Thanks for the warning, but I’m going to do whatever the hell I was going to do anyways’ tone. It’s the same tone that got them into this whole mess.

He doesn’t have time for this. Or the patience.

~+~

Bucky watches as Stark walks away, frustration and exhaustion clear in his body language.

He didn’t lie. Steve warned him of Ross, said the man was a snake in the grass. A power hungry tyrant who was willing to do anything that he needed to do in order to get what he wanted. Steve had warned him that Stark was just as dangerous when they had been on the plane to Siberia. He told him how Ross and Stark walked into the meeting hand in hand and had tried to collar the Avengers into their own personal hit squad.

Steve had said that Stark couldn’t be trusted, because the man was working with Ross. Bucky heard all of the others while they were in Wakanda say similar sentiments. That Stark was a traitor, that he was a backstabbing liar who was finally showing his true colors. That he was never a hero or one of them, and that they really shouldn’t have been surprised at the brunet’s betrayal.

Bucky kind of wonders where they were getting their information. Even in the brief interlude that he caught between the two men who didn’t realize they were being watched, it was clear that there was no comradery between the two of them. In fact, both acted as if they were at war, two generals going up against each other, with Stark positioning himself as the wall that Ross needed to overcome before he could get to what he wanted.

And it was more than clear that Ross wanted past that wall.

Bucky can’t help but feel confusion. It’s more than just the initial confusion that he used to subscribe to.

Before, he wondered why Stark would go through all of that trouble to get him cleared and offer his help. He figured that it was some kind of misplaced guilt, feeling sorry about Siberia in some way or form. However, to see the billionaire stand his ground to Ross, demanding that Ross see the Soldier as a person and not as a weapon…threw some of those preconceived ideas that he received from the others out of the window.

This wasn’t the man that the Avengers described to him. This wasn’t a wolf in sheep’s clothing waiting to reveal itself like they claimed. The data that he had wasn’t lining up properly, and it was making him irritated. He didn’t like incorrect information, it made things difficult to predict.

And if there was one thing that he was going to need to learn how to predict- it was Tony Stark.


	3. Chapter 3

“Alright, so let’s get this started.” Stark says as he rolls a chair over to the center of the open area at pats it. Bucky looks at it, before moving and taking a seat. The area isn’t really what he expected when he pictured Stark’s lab. He’d pictured it like the sterile, white spaces that Wakanda’s medical labs had been like. He’d figured that Stark would bring him down and strap him to a traction table like all of the others had, not roll over a work stool and just let him sit there.

Bucky can’t help the way his gaze roams over everything within his sightline. This is the place where Stark spends most of his time, the place where he feels the most comfortable. It’s complete chaos, much to his surprise with how orderly and clean everything is upstairs. There’s at least four separate projects that Bucky can see in various forms of disarray. Every surface is covered with tools and paper schematics for new ideas. Bucky would have figured that Stark would have done all of that by computer. There’s a strange feeling of constant movement down here, like everywhere you look something new is coming to life.

He wonders if this is what it’s like in Stark’s mind.

Stark is moving around the area, avoiding the debris like only someone intimately accustomed to their locations can. There’s a moment while Bucky is following Starks movement that he sees it. His arm, the arm given to him by Zola. It’s eerie to see it lying over on one of the tables, and there’s an echo of pain that goes through his shoulder at the memory of how the brunet came to be in possession of it.

There’s a rolling sound as Stark sits on another stool and slides it in front of Bucky, coming to a stop. He goes to say something, but he seems to notice that Bucky’s attention is on something else and he glances over his shoulder to see what’s grabbed his attention.

“Oh. Yeah, don’t worry about that.”

“What have you been doing with it?” The question is calm, almost too calm but the sight of that red star has Bucky on edge, not to mention the strange yellow and blue markings and lines drawn across it. Stark shrugs as he starts pulling off sensors.

“Lift your shirt.” He says, as he holds the little white circles in his fingers. “And I was taking measurements. Getting a blueprint of it, that things a piece of shit but I’m guessing you know that better than anyone.” He motions in a ‘up’ gesture with his free hand and Bucky reaches down and just pulls the shirt over his head and lets it drop to the floor next to him. “Or off, sure we can do that too.” Stark comes in close and sticks the circles on his body before pulling back.

“Why do you need measurements?”

“Who do you think is going to build you your next one?” Stark asks with an arched eyebrow like Bucky is being slow. “Or at least, who do you _want_ to be building your next one?” He rolls away from Bucky and types a few things on a computer screen, before pushing himself again to slide back to his previous location. “They’d probably give the contract to Hammer, god could you _imagine_? After what he did to War Machine? No, no, not going to happen.” Stark seems to be saying this more to himself than to Bucky as he shakes his head. “No, if I have to go into battle with you and have to trust that your tech is going to work than it’s going to be because I’m the one who gave it to you.” He pulls back, looking at him. “Okay, everything good?” Bucky nods slowly and Stark accepts it as he reaches out and grabs a pair of sunglasses. “Are you ready for this? Because it’s okay if you’re not.”

“I came here for this Stark.”

“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean that I shove you into the deep end of the pool if you’re not ready to swim.” Bucky tilts his head a little to take in the billionaire. Stark has an immediate negative reaction to his gaze. “Don’t do that.”

“Do what?”

“That whole ‘I’m trying to get in your head’ stare. I don’t like it when people try to analyze me.”

“Why not?”

“They always get it wrong. Now stop it or I’m going to let DUM-E at you with the fire extinguisher.”

Bucky hasn’t seen anyone else down here, and he glances around for the aforementioned assistant. “It’s not nice to call people stupid Stark.” Stark pauses before he snorts in amusement.

“DUM-E, come over here you tragedy. Come say hi to Barnes.” A strange whirring sound comes from behind Stark, and Bucky turns to see a strange robot creation roll over. “This is DUM-E. That’s his name.” He points around him to other robotic structures that Bucky just thought were statues or part of an automated building system. “That’s Butterfingers, and U. Get used to them. Now that introductions are over, are we doing this today or are we waiting?” Bucky takes a moment before he nods.

“I’m ready, but you should have me locked down or something. I don’t respond well to people putting machines over my head.” Stark shakes his head and holds out the sunglasses.

“Nope, me either. Here, put these on.” Bucky takes the glasses from him and puts them on. “Okay, so we’re going to start slow. First time users can have a negative reaction to the process.”

“Wait, this is it?” Bucky asks as he taps the glasses and Stark nods.

“Yup, you’re officially connected to B.A.R.F. Now, let’s get this party started.” He rolls over to grab a tablet. “I was thinking we should go straight for the trigger phrases.”

“What?”

“Your SkyNet buttons. They’re in there, and we can find them. Once we do, we can nullify the response created by them.” Stark shrugs suddenly. “Or at least let’s hope.”

“Are you crazy?”

“It’s been postulated.” Is the flippant response. Bucky can’t help the frown that overtakes his face and Stark shakes his head. “Look, we have to deal with them sooner or later and I’m a big fan of the ‘just rip the band aid off’ mentality. The sooner we get those turned off the sooner you’re back to finding out whoever James Barnes is now.”

“I remember who I am.” Bucky snaps, frustration curling at his spine. It’s been a while since he’s had one of the mind wipes that Hydra was so fond of. He’s got the memories; he remembers those years before he became this. He doesn’t mean to bring that frustration out on Stark, but he’s getting pretty sick and tired of people acting like he’s just some empty and broken doll. He’s getting tired of people referencing things, and then looking at him with guilty and pity-filled eyes as they ask him if he _remembers_. It makes him want to scream or punch something.

“Yeah, no.” Stark says with a shake of his head as he looks at the computer screen, typing a few things. “You remember who you _were_. And while that’s useful information to have, that doesn’t answer the question of who you are _now._ ” He makes a humming noise as he comes over and taps the side of the glasses, looking at the screen and making a few more adjustments. “Hydra took away your ability to chart that course. We’re here to give it back to you,” Stark looks at him, suddenly very serious. “But B.A.R.F. is not a time machine. It won’t magically erase all those years, you won’t wake up one day and be that guy again. It’s impossible, and even if it were possible it shouldn’t be done. If you’re here because you think I can hit a few keys and make all of that go away, then we need to stop right now. If that’s what you’re looking for – then you’re in the wrong place. You’d have better luck with the Scarlet Witch or trying to locate one of those evil little chairs.”

For some reason, the words make it hard to breathe. He’s here because he wants to be Bucky Barnes again. He’s here to be fixed, why the hell else would he go through whatever this is? He needs to be the correct version of him again. He needs to be that man in the black and white recordings of the field, smiling like he doesn’t have a care in the world. He needs to be Steve’s Bucky.

He’s caught off guard when Stark slowly pulls the glasses off of his face with a strangely gentle look. It doesn’t make sense; why should he care? Why isn’t he looking at Bucky in the same way that everyone else does? So many sad, sad eyes filled with pity for the broken man cross Bucky’s mind.

“Okay, we’re going to try this again tomorrow.”

“No, I’m ready now Stark.”

“Then why do you look like you’re about to be sick?” Stark shakes his head and places down the glasses before reaching over slowly and peeling off the sensors. “We’ll try again tomorrow, but I think you have some things to think about before we do this.”

“Like what?”

“Like what you want from this? Like what you want to get out of this procedure.” He leans down and picks up his shirt, handing it back to him. “I’m going to calibrate it better with the scans I just got. We’ll try again tomorrow.”

~+~

It’s clear that Barnes isn’t happy by the way he practically storms out of the lab.

Tony sighs as he puts down the B.A.R.F. glasses and rubs a hand over his face. What else did Barnes want him to do? Give him false expectations? False hope?

Despite what people think, Tony’s not _that_ heartless. He wouldn’t do that to anyone anymore. He’s seen the pain and the damage first-hand that giving something like that can cause.

There’s a whirring sound as DUM-E wheels over and taps him lightly on the shoulder. Tony spares the little one armed robot a smile, and gives it a little pat before turning back to the screens.

“Alright FRI. Re-calibration time, let’s see what we can do.” It’s not simple to use B.A.R.F. on everyone, after all, everyone’s minds are different. B.A.R.F. was created with Tony’s brainwaves in mind, and while most things are similar enough that he feels comfortable using it on other people, Barnes is a different story all together.

The man’s brain looks like a mess of inflammation and trauma. Tony’s already made huge steps adjusting to him from the scans that T’Challa’s people sent him, but he figures he can take the time to be extra careful. Barnes has already had some cowboys up in his brain, messing everything up and leaving him an almost vegetable. In fact, if it weren’t for the knock-off serum that Barnes has in his body which facilitates his rapid and impressive healing abilities, Tony’s pretty sure that he’d be nothing more than a drooling husk with the amount of damage he can see. “FRI, send this files to Strange? See if he has any other suggestions before tomorrow?”

_‘Will do Boss.’_

Tony’s unsure of how much time passes between getting the new recommendations from Strange and finishing up a few tweaks on several projects, but FRIDAY interrupts him at some point.

“Yeah?” Tony asks, not looking up from where he’s soldering when the AI calls out for him.

 _‘It’s dinner time, I thought it might be best to alert you.’_ Tony nods and waves the concern off. _‘Perhaps you should take a break.’_ Tony shakes his head.

“Nah, I’m fine. Thanks.”

 _‘Mr. Barnes has not eaten since this morning either.’_ The voice is calm but Tony can hear the guilt trip that she’s laying on him. He pulls back and puts down the tool.

“Have you told him that the kitchen is stocked?” Tony frowns. “He should know that already right? He made breakfast this morning didn’t he?”

 _‘Mr. Barnes grabbed an apple before coming down for his session this morning.’_ An apple? Great, did the man not know how to take care of himself?

“Did you remind him? To eat I mean?”

 _‘I thought it best if you informed him. I think he’s not yet used to my presence.’_ Tony wants to call bullshit on the answer, but he knows what she’s doing. She’s trying to force him into going upstairs and eating himself, and apparently she’ll use any opportunity or motive to secure that end result.

Tony’s kind of proud.

”Fine. I’m on my way up.” Tony says as he stands and enters the now open elevator. “Where is he now?”

 _‘In the gym’_ Tony heads over in that direction once he exits and he can hear the sound of the bag, and the rattle of the chain holding it as he nears. He can hear Barnes huffing in exertion as he comes to the door and he waits a second, before knocking gently on the outside.

“Come in?” Barnes’s voice sounds slightly winded and confused. Tony turns the corner and stands in the doorframe of the room. The two of them don’t say anything to each other for a good moment, and Tony shoves his hands in his pockets, rocking a little on the balls of his feet.

“I was about to order in. Curious if you’d like me to get you something.” Barnes just keeps looking at him with that look in his eyes, like he’s trying to make sense of Tony Stark.

If he figures it out, Tony hopes he tells him too.

“Anything is fine with me.” Is the answer after a few more moments of silence.

“Okay, how does Chinese sound? Or Italian? There’s a little Pho place that delivers if you’d rather.” Tony takes out one hand to gesture into the air. “Sky’s the limit. Anything you haven’t tried that you’d like to? I’m sure I can get it out here for you.”

“You pick.” Is Barnes’s answer and Tony nods.

“Okay. Chinese it is. Do you have a favorite?” He watches as Barnes’s brows crease in irritated frustration, no answer immediately forthcoming from the ex-assassin. “Nah, it doesn’t matter.” Tony tries to keep his tone flippant, as if he were going to ignore whatever Barnes offered anyways. “I’m feeling adventurous. I’ll just have them send over a little of everything.” The look on the other’s face lessens a little, and he does a sharp nod. “I’ll come get you when it arrives?” He doesn’t get a verbal answer and he leaves anyways. “FRI? Put it in please?”

_‘Already done Boss.’_

“Give them a really good tip, and see if we can get it here ASAP.”

 _‘On it.’_ Tony takes a moment, thinking about something.

”Have them send over utensils and plates, okay FRI?” She doesn’t answer him, but he knows that she got the message. He goes and waits in the main area, sitting on the stairs and messing with a few holograms until FRIDAY alerts him that the driver has arrived. “Wow, they made good time.” He says mainly to himself as he comes over and opens the door. The young teenager looks awestruck, glancing around behind Tony as Tony takes the bags from him. “Is this everything?” He asks as he motions to the bags laid out on the floor and the kid nods, his mouth still open. “Well then…thank you and have a good night. Drive safe and all that jazz.” Tony says as he closes the door. He bends down and picks up one of them, reaching for the other, only to have another hand take it. “Son of a-” He glares at Barnes who looks slightly less apologetic than he did yesterday, “You think I’m kidding about the bell. Try me.”

“Just thought I’d lend a hand.” Barnes offers up as a way of explanation, and for a moment Tony isn’t certain if the comment is funny because Barnes is making a joke- or if he’s just saying a phrase and Tony has a horrible sense of humor.

Tony figures it’s probably the second one so he opts not to laugh.

He’d hate to die before he at least got to eat the eggrolls.

“So, I guess I’ll just take what’s mine and go…back downstairs.” Tony starts to glance into the bag and Barnes shifts.

“Oh.” He says, and it sounds…disappointed. Tony glances up at him.

“Oh?”

“Nothing.” It’s clear it _is_ something, so Tony just arches an eyebrow at him.

“Speak up Barnes, I haven’t got all night. What is it?”

“I just thought…it’s only us here after all. Thought you might not mind sharing a meal with me.” He does a shoulder nub shrug. “It’s alright. I understand.” Tony takes a second before he responds.

“Alright, I’m just going to put this out there. I can’t tell if you’re joking or if you’re actually serious. So if you’re trying to guilt trip me just be up front about it. I’ve had more than enough of that passive aggressive bullshit for a lifetime.”

“I’m serious. I get it. We’re not friends and we’re not allies. You’re just here to help get my head back on straight. You didn’t offer anything else and that’s probably more than you should have offered.” Tony looks at him, really looks, and it takes a moment to realize what’s happening. He feels like an idiot, everyone’s complained at some point in time about how creepy the Compound can be at night when you’re all alone.

“Oh…I forget how big this place can feel when it’s empty. Um…sure…I can eat up here. It’ll probably guarantee that I actually eat something past the appetizers so FRIDAY will be happy.” He looks around. “Um, this way I guess. The living room’s down here.” Barnes follows his lead and Tony starts laying out the containers the minute that they get inside.

They start eating in awkward silence, just the sounds of their chopsticks hitting the Styrofoam plates. “Have you ever had Chinese before? Was that a thing back then?”

“I’ve had Chinese.”

“Oh…that’s good.” More awkward silence, and Tony feels like he needs to fill it with something. “I’m sorry.” …but probably not that. Why the hell did that come out?”

“What? What are you sorry for Stark?” Barnes sounds legitimately confused, and Tony figures he may as well get this out in the open.

“I’m sorry I tried to kill you.” He shrugs. “My bad.”

“Well in that case. I’m sorry for trying to shoot you in the face.” Barnes replies. “I guess that makes us even.”

“I guess it does.” Tony takes a few more bites. “In all honesty. I get it. I really do. You weren’t in control, and Hydra are assholes. I’m sorry I blamed you…I don’t anymore…blame you I mean.” Tony moves the food around his plate. “Just so you know.”

There’s a moment of silence. Barnes doesn’t respond to the olive branch and now that Tony thinks about it, what on earth is the other man supposed to say to a confession like that? Thanks? Sounds great? Tony clears his throat after a minute. “So, how about a movie? Yeah? Anything you’d like to watch? FRIDAY, cue up some choices please?” FRIDAY does as asked and the television turns on before bringing up a collection of old classics. “See something you’d like to see?”

Barnes takes a moment to look at all of the titles. “I don’t know what any of these are.” He admits eventually and Tony goes to shrug before he realizes one of the titles on the list and turned to stare wide eyed at Barnes.

“You don’t recognize any of them?” He asks, in all seriousness and Barnes gets a confused look.

“No?” He sounds slightly defensive again.

“This is completely unacceptable. FRIDAY, ‘A New Hope’ please.” The movie pulls up and Tony shakes his head. “Tragedy I tell you. We’re doing this. There is no way that you’re walking around in the 21st century without knowing Star Wars.” He’s talking more to himself, but Barnes settles into the seat a little as the lights dim and the scrolling narration starts.

Tony figures that he probably should have let Barnes get to bed long before the ungodly hour that they finally come stumbling out of the living room at, but in Tony’s defense- you can’t just watch ‘A New Hope’ without immediately following it with ‘The Empire Strikes Back’ and once you’ve seen that – then you just _have_ to watch ‘Return of the Jedi’.

He refused to watch any of the newer prequels though. He figured that they should end their night on a high note. It was hilarious to watch Barnes’s reaction to all of the classic twists that the films had, and Tony knows that Barnes must have caught on that something was preparing to happen because Tony would turn and look directly at him while eating his noodles, watching his face for his reactions. “FRIDAY, wake me up at nine?” Tony says as he stumbles into his room and plops on the bed face first.

 _‘Of course Boss. Sweet dreams.’_ Tony barely has the chance to think, _I hope so_ before he’s out like a light.

~+~

“Okay, so have you given some thought to it?” Tony asks again as he sits in front of Barnes in a mimicry of yesterday’s first attempt. Barnes’s jaw tightens before he does a nod and reaches down to tug off the shirt. “And it’s off again. You know you can keep it on right?” Barnes doesn’t respond to him. “Sorry, but one more time. Are you sure about this?”

“I’m sure Stark.”

“You know this isn’t going to be a magic erasing wand?” Barnes takes a moment before he nods.

“I want to be as close as I can get.” He admits after a few moments and Tony considers it. “I want to know that I’m in control of my own head again. You said this will do that right? Well that’s what I want from this.” Tony nods.

“I’ll do my best. Alright then, let’s get this party started.” He reaches out and puts on the sensors before handing the glasses over to Barnes who slips them on. “Alright, so most of this is going to be guided by you. You’re in control of what memories we access and what we’re able to mess with. So, the best thing I can say is get a really clear picture of what you want to deal with first. We’ll start there. Once we’re able to get ahold of the memory, we’ll be a step closer to going after the really deep ones.” Tony rolls over to the computer keyboard again. “Don’t try anything too intense right now. We’re just starting out and getting a baseline.” Barnes rolls his shoulders on the chair and nods, closing his eyes and focusing. B.A.R.F. comes to life with a few keystrokes and Tony watches the brain scans carefully. “Alright, now choose a memory. Something we can anchor to.” He guides and it takes a moment before a small replica of what Tony assumes is Coney Island back when Cap was young materializes from the external sensors. “Looking good.” He praises as he makes more adjustments.

There’s a moment where a familiar voice catches Tony’s attention and he turns to see the scrawniest, most sickly-looking, midget version of Cap he’s ever seen in his life. For a second, Tony almost feels like he’s invading on something personal and private when he sees mini Cap smile in Barnes’s direction. The two of them walk around the amusement park, with dozens of young women sending appreciative looks in Barnes’s direction but Barnes seems to pay them no attention.

Tony glances at the screens and makes a few adjustments. The calibration is perfect, synchronizing with Barnes’s brain patterns seamlessly. B.A.R.F. comes fully online and Tony gets a small smile.

The image behind him shows the two of them pausing at a ride and Sickly Steve looks unsure.

 _“If you’re not comfortable-”_ Memory Barnes starts to say, but Sickly Steve gets that same stupid, destructive set to his jaw as he shakes his head. It kind of amuses Tony to see that look on someone who looks like a small breeze could knock them on their ass.

_“If you want to go on it Buck, I’m with you. You know that. Till the end of the line.”_

Sensors start beeping immediately, tearing Tony’s attention from the image and back to the screens. Warnings are popping up that Tony’s never seen before, and he turns his full attention to them. “FRIDAY? What’s happening?” The image behind him changes, snow is falling and Steve is holding out a hand for him with a look of terror on his face. He’s screaming ‘Bucky’ and Barnes screams along with himself in the memory as he falls.

 _‘I think we found a trigger Boss.’_ FRIDAY supplies and Tony curses.

“I can see that! Pull him out!” He snaps, hitting a few buttons quickly. The entire brain scan has lit up in an angry red. Tony hits the shutdown protocol and stares at the screen confused when nothing happens. “How is that even? What?”

 _‘He’s fighting the extraction process.’_ FRIDAY answers.

“Can that even happen?” He asks panicked. “Damn it Barnes!” The images behind him are flashing, back and forth between gentle and heartfelt memories of Cap and violent memories of what Tony can guess are Winter Soldier missions. “Shut it down FRI!” He practically snarls as he goes over to Barnes and grabs him by the shoulders. “Wake up! Barnes you need to let go!”

A moment later, Barnes does exactly the opposite as a strong grip grabs him around the throat. Tony let’s go of one shoulder to try and pull the hand off. He can’t breathe and the scans are starting to flash some terrifying looking information across the screens. They’re enveloped in white mist when DUM-E rushes over with the fire extinguisher and Barnes practically seizes in on himself. “Ba..rne…s…” Tony tries to get out as black spots start to rise in his vision.

Suddenly the hand is gone and Tony’s gulping in contaminated air. It makes him cough harder. “Don’t hurt him!” He forces out past a raw throat as the Iron Man armor twists behind Barnes to pin his arm to his side and hold him still. The man is thrashing and snarling in Russian as Tony approaches again and puts his hands on either side of Barnes’s head. “Barnes! I’m not going to hurt you, I promise! But you need to listen to me, you’re causing a backlash, you’re going to fry your brain permanently if you don’t stop!” Tony can tell his words aren’t doing anything so he tears away towards the first aid kit that he had the foresight to stock and have down here. It has a little something extra and he needs it right now.

Barnes doesn’t respond to the needle in a calm or rational way _at all_. He jerks and struggles in the armors grip as Tony gets him in the arm. His motions start becoming lethargic and Tony reaches out to tug at the gauntlets and gentle their grip. “You’re alright.” He says as Barnes starts to slide down and both the armor and Tony go down with him. “You’re safe, I promise. I’ve got you. You’re going to be okay.” Barnes’s head lulls against the armor’s shoulder and Tony glances at the computer, waiting for the green light to slide off the glasses.

His heart is racing and he rubs at his throat while looking at the unconscious man before glancing up at the Iron Man faceplate. “Well that could have gone better.”


End file.
